Targeting Biotech Drugs Nanosized Lipid Particles versus Drug Nanocrystals

Nanotechnology and, in particular, the development of nanosized delivery systems for biotech drugs (namely peptides, proteins and oligonucleotides), is a multidisciplinary field undergoing exponential development in the latest years [1-3]. The rate of these developments has been dictated in parallel by the progress of biotechnology. Biotechnological techniques have expanded the variety of therapeutically active biotech drugs, which are nowadays the molecules of primary interest in the pharmaceutical market. Peptides, proteins and oligonucleotides have been formulated in innovative colloidal delivery systems with the aim to [4-7]: (i) achieve a modified-release profile (controlled, prolonged or targeted depending on the therapeutic needs), (ii) reduce adverse-side effects due to a non-targeted distribution and delivery to the site of action, (iii) increase drug bioavailability, (iv) increase patient compliance to the therapeutics, (v) optimize a more comfortable administration route, as well as to (vi) decrease the cost of the therapeutics if possible [3]. The present review presents the usefulness of nanosized lipid particles and the drug nanocrystal systems to target biotech drugs intended for different administration routes.